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Review of Volo Auto Sales – Buyer Beware!

Find Your Dream Car at Volo

At Volo Museum Auto Sales, we love classic cars. We love them so much that we built a museum for them. Unlike other dealerships, we care about the history of the cars we purchase and ensure that we only sell vehicles that have undergone rigorous inspections.

Note: Bold Underscored Emphasis Mine

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 – This 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria Custom was purchased from Volo Auto Sales (VAS) located at 27582 Volo Village Road in Volo, Illinois 60073. The date of sale was Monday, June 28, 2021, the salesperson was Erik Haugaard.

The vehicle was advertised as… It is ready to be enjoyed – show and go! in the written sales description and video.

The written description, pictures, and video provided by Volo Auto Sales depicted a beautiful car with a post sale appraisal performed by Jay Grams (VAS) who appraised the vehicle at $80,000 and rated it 98 out of 100.


This is an incredible car. Finished 15 years ago and driven 3,500 miles. It still shows and functions incredibly well. I personally drove it home and was impressed. It is ready to be enjoyed – show and go!

Note: Bold Underscored Emphasis Mine

I, Jay Grams, take pride in personally writing the descriptions for virtually every car for about the last 30 years now. A significant amount of effort goes into fact checking. What I am offering is my professional impression of the vehicle.

Note: Bold Underscored Emphasis Mine

★☆☆☆☆

Volo Auto Sales Review – Buyer Beware!

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 – This vehicle was grossly misrepresented in the VAS June 2021 written description, video, images, and post sale appraisal by Jay Grams of Volo Auto Sales.

This vehicle was received in California on Thursday, July 22, 2021, with a host of mechanical issues that are currently being documented and addressed.

The below comments from Erik Haugaard were received after I sent my first email to Volo Auto Sales on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 showing the condition of the items we’ve discovered to date. This was after the first inspection performed at Crevier Classic Cars in Costa Mesa, California.

I’m sorry you are not happy with your purchase of the Crown Victoria. I disagree with your assessment of the vehicle. You purchased a customized classic car which comes with the understanding and I’m sure you agree while doing your research prior to buying the Crown Victoria it isn’t the same as looking after a brand new car. Older cars need quite a bit of care that isn’t required with new vehicles.
Wed, Jul 28, 2021 – Erik Haugaard from Volo Auto Sales

A second more extensive inspection/repair was/is being performed by Cambra Speed Shop in Orange, California.

Multiple emails (5) to Volo Auto Sales outlining the issues (descriptions with photographs) in July 2021 and August 2021 were ignored. View the Crevier (Before) and Cambra (Before) images.

The seventh email that I sent on Tuesday, August 31, 2021 was replied to by Jay Grams after I sent more information regarding the condition of the items we’ve discovered to date.

You obviously have a much different opinion of the condition of the Ford than we do. Return the car and we will give you a refund for the purchase price. Otherwise do what you need to do.
Wed, Sep 1, 2021 – Jay Grams from Volo Auto Sales

At this time, the engine and most of the drivetrain were disassembled. Parts had been ordered, some were in house. Schedules had been planned. Monies had been transferred. The offer to return the car at this point was not a viable option.

Additional email communications were sent in September 2021, February 2022, and March 2022. Those emails were ignored until the last email in March 2022 when Jay Grams responded to my email where I indicated that the Illinois Attorney General had accepted my complaint and assigned it File Number 2022-CONSC-00146031.

What Happened‽ – Summarized

I purchased this vehicle based on the company’s reputation (60+ years), the media presented e.g., video, images, written description, and multiple communications with Erik Haugaard (VAS Salesperson) via phone and email. I signed an AS-IS Statement based on the above.

Unfortunately the advertising media used in the June 2021 sale was from the previous sale in October 2020 and the mileage of 3,549.8 was misrepresented as being actual.

This vehicle was sold to a local collector (DWS) who buys and trades regularly with Volo Auto Sales. This vehicle had been out for 6 months and then returned. It was then listed for sale again using the same media from the October 2020 sale. The video, images, and written description depicted one vehicle condition, what I received was NOT the vehicle condition that was advertised by Volo Auto Sales.

This vehicle was severely abused during the time period November 2020 through May 2021. The odometer was not functioning during this period. The car was listed for sale in June 2021 with the exact same mileage of 3,549.8 that was advertised in the November 2020 listing.

You can view the images displayed in the advertisement by Volo Auto Sales (Advertised) and then view the images of what was received (Before) in the below galleries.

C8DENCE Image Galleries – Before, During, and After

Email Communications Timeline

  1. 2021-07-28 – Wednesday, July 28, 2021, 06:53, Buyer
  2. 2021-07-28 – Wednesday, July 28, 2021, 07:24, Erik Haugaard, VAS Representative
  3. 2021-07-28 – Wednesday, July 28, 2021, 07:35, Buyer
  4. 2021-07-29 – Thursday, July 29, 2021, 09:23, Buyer
  5. 2021-08-05 – Thursday, August 5, 2021, 11:42, Buyer
  6. 2021-08-10 – Tuesday, August 10, 2021, 02:45, Buyer
  7. 2021-08-27 – Friday, August 27, 2021, 08:03, Buyer
  8. 2021-08-31 – Tuesday, August 31, 2021, 17:11, Buyer
  9. 2021-09-01 – Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 07:26, Jay Grams, Buyer/Co-Owner, VAS
  10. 2021-09-01 – Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 08:38, Buyer
  11. 2021-09-16 – Thursday, September 16, 2021, 09:27, Buyer
  12. 2021-09-16 – Thursday, September 16, 2021, 12:10, Jay Grams, Buyer/Co-Owner, VAS
  13. 2021-09-16 – Thursday, September 16, 2021, 13:03, Buyer
  14. 2022-02-26 – Saturday, February 26, 2022, 05:59, Buyer
  15. 2022-06-14 – Tuesday, June 14, 2022, 08:19, Buyer

Email Communications via Illinois Attorney General

  1. 2022-03-16 – Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 07:02, Buyer
  2. 2022-03-31 – Thursday, March 31, 2022, 02:28, Buyer
  3. 2022-03-31 – Thursday, March 31, 2022, 06:15, Jay Grams, Buyer/Co-Owner, VAS
  4. 2022-05-20 – Friday, May 20, 2022, 11:11, Brian Grams, Museum Director, VAS
  5. 2022-06-03 – Friday, June 3, 2022, 11:22, Buyer
  6. 2022-06-08 – Wednesday, June 8, 2022, 07:54, Brian Grams, Museum Director, VAS

Illinois Attorney General Consumer Fraud Bureau – Complaint Updates

  1. 2022-03-15 – Tuesday, March 15, 2022 – I filed a 55 page complaint with the Illinois Attorney General Consumer Fraud Bureau.
  2. 2022-03-31 – Thursday, March 31, 2022 – My complaint was accepted, assigned file number 146031, and was forwarded to the Chicago office for further investigation. I am currently awaiting communications from the AG’s office.
  3. 2022-05-19 – Thursday, May 19, 2022 – I received confirmation from the Office of the Illinois Attorney General that my complaint has been forwarded to Volo Auto Sales for its review and response.
  4. 2022-05-20 – Friday, May 20, 2022 – Brian Grams (Volo Auto Sales Museum Director) replied to the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. There were 4 pages; 2 signed sales documents, 2 signed AS IS documents, 1 page written response (438 words) via email.
  5. 2022-05-27 – Friday, May 27, 2022 – The Office of the Illinois Attorney General forwarded reply from Brian Grams to me for review and response within 10 days.
  6. 2022-06-03 – Friday, June 3, 2022 – I replied (44 pages, 10,081 words, 54 images) to Brian Grams via the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.
  7. 2022-06-08 – Wednesday, June 8, 2022 – Brian Grams (Volo Auto Sales Museum Director) replied to the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. There was a 2 page written response (596 words) via email.
  8. 2022-06-14 – Tuesday, June 14, 2022 – I replied (18 pages, 6,059 words, no images) to Brian Grams response via email. Attempts to resolve this via the Illinois Attorney General Consumer Fraud Bureau were unsuccessful and the file has been closed due to the seller’s unwillingness to negotiate.

Volo Auto Sales Review 2022

Volo Auto Sales Reviews

It appears that others have had similar experiences with Volo Auto Sales. Don’t be misled by the 4 and 5 star reviews, the majority of them are for the Volo Auto Museum portion of the business.

2023-07-07 Yelp Updates – It appears that Yelp have corrected the listing and review information for the Volo Museum vs the Volo Museum Auto Sales portion of the business.

C8DENCE Timeline

Today is Tuesday, November 12, 2024
  • 1233 Days Since Purchase
    Monday, June 28, 2021
  • 1209 Days Since Arrival in CA
    Thursday, July 22, 2021
  • 784 Days at CSS ★☆☆☆☆
    Mon, Aug 9, 2021/Mon, Oct 2, 2023
  • Roller to New Shop
    Monday, October 2, 2023
  • 407 Days at AAOC
    Monday, October 2, 2023
    Restoration Begins June 2024
  • -20 Days to Completion
    Monday, December 2, 2024

These are the individuals I dealt with (in this order) during the sale of this 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria Custom.

  1. Erik Haugaard, Sales
  2. Brenda Grams, Sales Secretary
  3. Ryan Grams, Shop Manager
  4. Jay Grams, Manager of Auto Sales
  5. Brian Grams, Museum Director
Volo Auto Sales aka Volo Auto Museum
27582 Volo Village Road
Volo, Illinois 60073-9613
1-815-385-3644

Volo Auto Sales Website

2021 Video: Volo Auto Sales

  • It has a smooth fabricated firewall; the bay is painted as nice as the car.
    2021-08-31 – Engine Bay Paint Peeling
  • The roller cam and the Doug’s headers send some beautiful notes to the exhaust.
    Fact: It is a Ford Racing Flat Tappet Camshaft. This is a significant difference in camshafts.
  • It has 3x4 boxed frame with tubular front control arms and Morrison 2-inch drop spindle kit.
    Fact: It is an Art Morrison 2x4 Boxed Frame
  • Exterior Color: Mandarin Orange
    Fact: It is PPG Mandarin Copper
  • In back is a Hoopers Ford 9-inch rear with 3.50 gears, Moser 36 spline axles.
    Fact: Current axles are 31 spline, not 36 spline axles as advertised.
  • Wilwood 11-inch disc brakes at all 4 wheels, custom e-brake assembly, stainless lines and polished calipers.
    Fact: Wilwood front only. Ford Excursion rear. Polished calipers front only.
  • Video: 06:45It has Super Cobra Jet aluminum heads.
    Fact: It has Cobra Jet (CJ) aluminum heads, NOT the Super Cobra Jet (SCJ) aluminum heads. This is a significant difference in heads.

Odometer Discrepancy

2021 Odometer Reading: 3,549.8 - Date Taken: 2020-10-15 at 07:03

* Note the Odometer Reading of 3,549.8. This is the exact same mileage (and image) used for the 2020 sale. Date Taken: 2020-10-15 at 07:03

The images on Volo show that there are 3,549 miles, is that accurate or were there additional miles since this photo was taken? I wasn’t exactly sure how recent everything was regarding images and video. I recall you mentioning that it was initially listed about 7-8 months ago and purchased by a local collector who had it for a few months?
Mon, Jun 21, 2021 – Buyer

The miles shown are accurate.
Mon, Jun 21, 2021 – Erik Haugaard, VAS

Buyer Question: If this vehicle sold in November 2020 with 3,549.8 miles on the odometer and then advertised again for sale in June 2021 with 3,549.8 miles on the odometer, does that mean that the local collector, a Volo Auto Sales regular customer, put “zero” miles on it? Not even a tenth of a mile? How can that be? Was the odometer disconnected during this period? Or was it rolled back by DWS prior to return in May 2021?